Less of a Role Model
by Fayre Lady
Summary: In a world of beauty and lies Bakura and Marik end up forced together. Even though Marik loves Ryou. While Bakura tries to keep Ryou safe, Ryou is busy being escorted on the arm of his brothers boyfriend. Meanwhile Bakura begins to fall in love.
1. Chapter 1

Ryou opened his eyes to an unpleasant yelling sound coming from the kitchen. He looked disappointedly at his clock with its glowing numbers that read 6:30. It was one of his rare days off and he was hoping to be able to sleep of some of the alcohol he'd drank last night. He was still confused as to how he had ended up drunk, and then somehow home. Bakura hadn't been pleased, but after making him drink some seltzer water told Ryou to get out of his sight. Ryou had fallen asleep as soon as he gotten into his bed, and hadn't heard the fight that had been going on for the last three hours.

When the yelling subsided and Ryou could sit up without the room spinning he decided to brave his brother's temper, he opened his door and crept down the hallway, making it past the living room before he tripped over a lamp and ended up in a heap on the floor. Bakura came out of the kitchen at the commotion and grabbed Ryou's upper arm pulling him to his feet and dragging him into a chair. He handed him a couple of Advil and a very large bottle of seltzer water and sat across from him, glaring at him until he had taken the Advil, and drank a considerable amount of water.

"What were you thinking?" Bakura whispered, "You know how I feel about him."

"Kura I can explain... it was harmless fun all we did was go to a club." Ryou replied, taken aback by his brother being so angry with him.

"You came home at three in the morning, drunk out of your mind! You're not even of age, how you got into a club is beyond me." Even though Bakura knew, he and his brother were quite attractive no gay bar in New York would turn them away.

Ryou winced at his brother's voice; it was so loud it felt like he was yelling into his ear. Bakura's expression softened slightly until he looked up.

A tall slim blond was walking towards them, a towel wrapped dangerously low around his waist. On his body small drops of water glistened. He padded into the kitchen, poured himself a cup of coffee, and turned smirking at Bakura.

"I told you he would be fine." The blond grinned at Ryou. "How're you doing?'

"He's hungover, and you're lucky you're still alive." Bakura growled standing and taking a few steps in the blonds direction.

"It would be pretty bad press if you murdered your boyfriend in cold blood, and then there really wouldn't be anyone to look after poor little Ryou."

"I should remind you, I'm not dating you of free will, if you hadn't been such an asshole at the photo shoot back in October we wouldn't be in this mess." Bakura leaned against the counter and sighed. "Why did you move in here again?"

"Because you didn't want me living alone in apartment and you didn't want to sell." Ryou spoke quietly from the table.

"You should go back to bed there Ryou, you probably feel like crap. You have work tomorrow. I'm going to take a shower." He looked at the blond "... put on some clothes will you."

The blond smirked again and leaned against the counter pulling the towel even lover down his chiselled body. "I think I'll just finish my coffee." He looked at Ryou. 'You don't mind do ya hun?" He said with a wink.

Bakura saw Ryou blush. "Are you hitting on your boyfriends brother?"

"I didn't think you were so invested in our relationship?" The blond raised an eyebrow. "But if that's how you feel..."

"Look Marik I have no interest in being with you, and we both know we're only doing this because of the publicity –"

Marik cut Bakura off. "Well actually I'm doing it for more than one reason." He smiled at Ryou over Bakura's shoulder. "Hey baby."

"Shut up Marik." Bakura hissed, "I'm sure he has no interest in a jack ass like you. Go put some trousers on a least."

Marik laughed and walked away. "You both want me so bad."

Bakura turned around to talk to Ryou, but the boy was gone. "He's probably just gone back to bed... MARIK GET YOUR ASS BACK IN THIS KITCHEN!"

Marik's and Ryou's rooms were connected by a bathroom and a shared closet.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm sorry this has taken I while. I'll keep posting stuff when I can but it will be slow for a little while, check out other fic's of mine, and keep checking for new chapters. Remember too comment, every ten or fifteen I'll write a one shot completly unrelated to the story. Enjoy until next time - Fayre**

Marik came wandering into the kitchen from the direction of Bakura's room, wearing a well fitting pair of dark blue Gucci jeans.

"So you're stealing my clothes now?"

"How else was I supposed to get into your pants? Why were you yelling at me to get back here?" The blond who had neglected to find a shirt to put on stepped over to Bakura and twirled a stand of Bakura's silky hair around his finger. "Miss me?"

"Hardly, I thought you might take advantage of my brother in his state." Bakura pushed Marik back with one finger, and slid out from between the blond and the counter. "I don't trust you with him."

"Is it because we flirt? And please I'm not about to "take advantage" of your brother. If he invites me... that's a different story."

Bakura seized Marik by the back of his neck and slammed his head against the counter. "Ryou is not an option. I want to make that very clear."

"Hey, hey let up I have a shoot today." Bakura released Marik who stood up massaging his face. "I'd better not bruise; otherwise you might just end up charged with domestic violence."

"I have a lawyer, get a shirt I'm walking you to your shoot."

"Fine, I had my eye on your navy blazer, you know the one with the gold button, it think it would look great with my skin tone."

As Marik wandered back to Bakura's room to ransack his closet, Bakura went to check on Ryou, who had fallen asleep curled up like a cat on his bed. Bakura felt a little bad for all that had happened over the last year or so. The move from London, to Japan, to New York; and now this incident with Marik and the fight at the shoot, it hadn't fazed Ryou when he saw his brother pushing some guy up against a wall backstage at a show for Prada with the headline "Backstage Romance." He had been generally happy for Bakura, until you know he found out that really Bakura and Marik had just been fighting. But he was going along with the whole thing.

There was a small cough from behind Bakura "If we don't go now I'm going to be late, I could always go by myself."

"We have to be seen together every once in a while, you couldn't have put a shirt on under that?" Bakura eyed the blazer that came to a close just under the first few lines of Marik's toned stomach. A small intricate gold and jade elephant was suspended from a long chain. Marik looked good as always, with perfectly tousled hair, and that easy smirk.

"Why would I do that?" Marik raised an eyebrow.

"Why do I even try" Bakura turned his head skyward and shook it slightly.

"I wonder that as well." Marik took Bakura's hand and started to back down the hallway. "But I'm late, and you know how Armani photographers are."

Bakura readjusted his v-neck and grabbed a pair of Vans as Marik eased his grip. Marik's fingertips rested gently on his wrist, and Bakura's heart jumped as they slid slowly towards his shoulder a light tickling sensation tracing its way up his arm. The blond took hold of Bakura's shoulder and pulled him to his feet. "I'm not going to hurt Ryou. He's too innocent, and cute. I would hate to see him hurt; after all he's the only one who's nice to me in this house."

"O-okay. Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I need you to understand that I'm not a monster, I've made mistakes yes but I'm not a terrible person. Those mistakes may mean I don't deserve to have someone like Ryou love me, so why would I pursue him. I'm sure as hell not going to hurt him, so you can drop the protective act. It's pissing me off." With that Marik released Bakura's shoulder and walked out of the apartment leaving Bakura's heart pounding.


	3. Chapter 3

Ryou woke up around 2 o'clock that afternoon. He felt a lot better and enjoyed a long hot shower before pulling on a pair of beaten up black skinny jeans, and a grey long sleeve and a silvery silk vest. He was going over some paperwork for the small clothing company he worked for when he wasn't modeling, when Bakura and Marik came home from the shoot. Bakura, Ryou noticed looked a lot more relaxed around the blond. They were both carrying bags of free merchandise, one of the many perks of living downtown – people needed you to advertise.

"How was the shoot?" Ryou asked tilting his head, and smiling.

"It was fine. The fall line looks amazing, but some of the stuff for the runway show looks... interesting. It involves dresses."

"Ball gowns actually, it's focused around switching gender." Bakura added.

"That sounds kind of fun. I'd like to see you two in ball gowns, I could pull of something girlie, but you two oh dear." Ryou giggled as he filled out a receipt for a small local order.

"Well if you must know, your brother worked as a drag queen to make ends meet when you were younger. That's how my agent found him, he was quite fond of the umm entertainment your brother..."

Ryou placed his hands over his ears. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" he squealed and Bakura placed his hand over Marik's mouth.

"I think we've heard enough of that story." Bakura said with a wink at Ryou.

Marik wandered down the hall to shower and wash off the eyeliner and blush he was sporting. Ryou got up and followed Bakura into his older brother's room. He closed the door before turning to his brother, who had an awful dopey grin on his face.

So I'm guessing there were cute guys at the photo shoot? Either that or someone has drugged you again."

"Yeah there were cute guys, one particularly cute guy. Could you go start dinner, I'll be out in a few minutes."

Ryou wondered what had gone on between the two other guys in his life as he stood at the sink washing lettuce and chopping other veggies. He was marinating some chicken when one hand slid around his waist as the other grasped his hand took the spoon he was holding ever so gently. Marik pulled Ryou back against his body holding him gently with one hand. Marik placed the spoon back into the bowl and without releasing Ryou opened the oven slid the pan of chicken into the oven. In this process he tripped the silver-haired boy into him causing the slight weight of Ryou to be supported solely by the blond. Gently he eased the boy back and into him, he could feel Ryou's heartbeat racing after his few seconds of unbalance. Marik wrapped his arms around the boy enveloping him with warmth. The blond bent and breathed into Ryou's ear. Smelling Ryou's scent, sweet yet slightly citrusy and it was intoxicating to Marik. As gently as he could Marik took one-two-three-four playful nips to Ryou's ear. Ryou tensed and tried to pull away but the blond was one step ahead, he caught the silver haired boy up in his arms and turned him around so they were facing each other. Ryou was caught up in Marik's kiss before he realized it. He opened his mouth and responded as Marik pulled him against his body a hand grazing his neck. Suddenly when Ryou heard Bakura's door creak open. Ryou stopped and pulled away sliding his hands out from beneath Marik's shirt.

"I have... I have to... to... go." Ryou stammered and then fled the room.

"Ah Ryou come back, I"

Marik slammed his fist down knowing he had taken it too far. He knew he had to be careful or risk Ryou never trusting him again.

Bakura padded into the room, and started to make salad dressing.

"Where did Ryou sneak off to?" he asked careful not to sound to warm towards the blond.

"He went to his room, to finish some work I think."

"Marik I was wondering if you might like to go for a couple of drinks tonight. Really sweet girl works the bar, it's a nice place."

"You're asking me out for drinks? Did I slip something into your bottle of Vitamin Water again? Because I don't think I would forget something like that."

"Marik do you want to come?" Bakura crossed his arms in frustration, before giving the blond a stern look.

"Sure, why not."

Ryou came back into the room, and Marik's face burned a little. Ryou took a fork and opened the oven door to flip the chicken over. There was an awkward tension in the room and they were all feeling it but they all were interpreting it differently.

Dinner was quiet, and a little tense. Ryou left halfway through remembering he had somewhere he needed to be. He fled the apartment taking the wrong keys and stealing Bakura's Beamer rather than taking his Mustang.

Bakura and Marik did the washing up before walking a few blocks over to a little hole-in-the-wall bar that was a cafe during the day.

"What can I get you two boys?" The sweet, punky, gothic bartender asked when they took possession of two stools at the counter.

"Double scotch, and a..." Marik trailed off after ordering his drink.

"Beer, Molson" Bakura answered. He turned to Marik. "What happened to Ryou last night?"

You bring me too a bar to question me about your brother, no wonder you were still single when I met you. Thanks hun." He winked at the bartender as she placed his drink in front him, and slid Bakura's beer over to him.

"What do you mean 'still single'? How do you know I'm not single by choice?

"Any half sensible guy would try and pin you down with a ring."

"That would be the first reason he would go, if I ever get married I'm going to be the one proposing."

Marik knocked half his scotch back. "I took Ryou out last night, and I lost him for a few hours. I pulled some asshole of him when found him. I wasn't with him when he was drinking. I'm pretty sure the greasy guy he was dancing with tried to... to..." Marik threw back the rest of his drink and signalled the barmaid to get him another.

Bakura took a long drag off his beer. He fumed a little at Marik's words but forced himself to remain calm. He took a deep breath, and asked the question. Then he caught himself. He knew Ryou was okay at least he knew he was safe at home...

"Marik did you know where Ryou was going tonight?"

"No I don't..."

Bakura threw a bill on the counter and was out the door before Marik could register that Bakura was no longer there and had paid for his drinks.

"Bakura, where the fuck are you going?"

"A few months ago my brother met a boy who seemed like an asshole, and he was a little greasy. Ryou's young and sweet and venerable and he could get screwed over by this guy. So I'm going to find where this guy lives."

A few minutes later Bakura burst through the front door of the apartment.

"Bakura please just check his room."

"Fine, I will. But he's not..." Bakura trailed off midsentence.

"He's here isn't he?"

"He's asleep."

"Goodnight overprotective older brother."

A few hours later Ryou was standing in Marik's doorway. "Marik?" He asked. "Can I come in?"


	4. Chapter 4

**the title of this chapter is Abuse, sorry about that. **

Ryou sniffed as Marik sat up groggily in bed.

"Sure why?"

"I need to talk to someone and Bakura would just kill me if I told him."

"Told him what Ryou?"

"That guy you saw me with last night was my boyfriend of eight months. A boyfriend that Bakura didn't know about."

"Was?"

"He wasn't too pleased that you showed up." Ryou came in and sat on the edge of Marik's bed.

"Your ex though I was your other boyfriend, and now your single thanks to me; so your angry."Marik leaned forward.

"Angry? No, not really. I was wondering why you acted so-"

"Protective?"

"Yeah," Ryou looked down and Marik noticed that his silver hair was matted with dried blood and his forehead was bruised.

"Shit, Ryou did that asshole do this? I'm gonna kill the bastard." Marik flicked on his lamp so he could see. The boy flinched away from Marik who stopped but then grabbed Ryou's head.

"Marik, why do you care?" Ryou jumped as Marik's fingertips brushed over the wound.

"Stay here." Marik got up and walked into their shared bathroom. He came out with a bowl of water and a cloth. He dapped gently at Ryou's head; the poor boy was shaking and kept flinching away from Marik.

"Stop it will you, I'm just trying to help." The blond spoke through his teeth. He was trying to be careful. Ryou's scalp was torn apart, probably by a ring. Finally with the dried blood gone, Marik applied an ointment.

"What the hell happened tonight?" Marik asked again.

"I got through the door, and he acted like it was any other night. He said hello, offered me a drink but he still seemed a little miffed about my sudden disappearance from before so we started fooling around he got a little insistent, because he's a little tired of just making out so when I pushed him off me, he threw me out."

"He hit you because you wouldn't sleep with him? Or he threw you out because you wouldn't sleep with him?"

"Oh no he's hit me before this; I think he was just pissed about you and then me saying no again," Ryou seemed completely comfortable with this fact. "He's normally not so obvious about it though, he was always remorseful."

"Who is this creep, Ryou?"

"James Kilburn. Don't do anything rash Marik, please. I don't get why you seem so offended by this, he didn't do anything wrong."

"Oh really? Are you concussed?" The blond looked at Ryou's head again. "Actually you probably are."

The silver haired boy shifted a little. He knew Marik was right. "James did nothing to you."

"Fuck Ryou, what the hell is wrong with you? God dammit, do you not remember this evening? Marik lay down on his bed. "How could you think that was nothing?"

"No offense Marik, but you kind of seem like a player." Ryou instinctively moved away a bit.

"Oh I am, but I'm still a person which means I have the ability to feel emotions. Where do you think you're going?"

"Back to bed? Where I belong at two in the morning."

Marik laughed and shook his head. "You don't get to wake me up and then just run off. Come here."

The boy wandered back over to the bed and sat on the edge furthest away from Marik.

"Oh God Ryou, I meant come _here_." Marik sat up and pulled Ryou on top of him. "You're not _nothing _to me. Do you not know how much I _want _you?" Ryou jerked back a little so Marik tightened his grip. "Calm down," He kissed Ryou's nose. "Just let me hold you."

Bakura was laying awake debating things. He was obviously dying of some horrible disease that somehow was making him delusional, and could either go say goodbye to his brother or go and see Marik – not that they would do much talking. He'd been lying in his bed for almost four hours thinking "I'll go see Marik... or no, no I won't." he finally gave up snuck into the kitchen took three of Ryou's anxiety meds and very relaxed crawled into his bed.

Marik was exercising every bit of self control he had. Ryou was asleep in his bed, and all Marik wanted was to be closer to him. Marik stroked the boys back, buried his head in the soft silver hair, when Ryou stirred around six Marik hadn't slept at all but when Ryou placed one hand on Marik's shoulder he felt as though he had slept through a lazy summer afternoon. He looked into Ryou's warm brown eyes and noticed the little speck of disappointment that glimmered there. Ryou slid out from Marik's embrace and sat up.

"Was I here all night?"

"You fell asleep around 2:30, so most of the night yeah."

"Did anything – happen?"

"No, I just cleaned up your head." The blond sat up and brushed some hair off Ryou's face. "What time do you have to work?"

"Marik what are we gonna do about Bakura?"

"What do you mean?"

Ryou picked up one of Marik's hands and traced it with his finger. "He's not going to let you stay here if he finds out about last night."

"Let me deal with him," Marik leaned in. "It'll all be okay."

"What about my head? How do we explain this, I can't tell him about James, he'd get so angry. He'd do something crazy-"

"Shh-shh-shhhh stop it you're overreacting. Calm down. Tell him, tell him, you slipped on the pavement and hit your head. It's something you would do, and it's believable. What time did you say you have to work?"

"I didn't say but I have until 12 until I have to leave."

Marik didn't say anything but smiled a little as he pulled Ryou onto his lap. Ryou nuzzled Marik's neck and placed a few soft kisses on the blonde's collarbone. Marik kissed the top of the boys head. "Why don't we wait until we're out of the house?" He asked but Ryou curled tighter into the blonde's muscular body and breathed ever so slightly against his ear. "Fine Ryou don't listen to me."

Marik picked Ryou up and deposited him unceremoniously on his own bed. Ryou was dressed in flannel pyjama pants and with his lightly toned body Marik though he was a little crazy to not jump the boy at the moment. He decided he'd rather not be castrated at Bakura's hand. "Get dressed, I'll make you breakfast."

"Thank God for Photoshop," Ryou muttered as he looked at the wound on the side of his head. He dabbed some foundation over it until it looked mildly better. He walked across the bathroom to dig through his shared closet. He flicked through hanger after hanger of designer clothes, until he noticed the bag from the Prada shoot. In it were a navy cashmere v-neck sweater and an emerald green jacket lined in white. He threw them on with a ripped up pair of white skinnies and a pair of gray Toms. He brushed his teeth, found his bright yellow soft leather satchel into which he threw his portfolio, the paperwork he needed to drop off at the office. He put on some cologne – the same stuff he always wore which was actually vanilla perfume and some citrusy cologne.

In the kitchen Marik had managed to make toast without burning it, a caramel macchiato, and fruit salad. He didn't really know where many things were in the apartment and the kitchen was a huge question mark.

Ryou came in just as Marik was exploring the cupboards familiarizing himself with the room. Everything was in the strangest place possible, and there were a million of those fake drawers that didn't actually open.

"Careful with that cupboard-"Ryou rushed in to stop Marik from opening one in the corner, but Marik was on the receiving end of an avalanche of plastic containers. "I'll help you put those away."

Marik laughed "Maybe I'll just organize them a little?"

"I used too but Bakura isn't the neatest person so I gave up and started to avoid opening the cupboard at all costs."

The two ate breakfast. Ryou washed the few dished there were, it was only 7:30. "I should go try to patch things up with-"

"Don't you dare say his name."

"But I really should. He's going to be beating himself up about last night."

"He should be; James has no excuse if you don't give him one."

"Marik, forget about last night and this morning. I don't belong with you. At least not while you're busy pretending to belong to my brother."

"You sure as hell don't belong with the sadistic creep who decided to try and crack open your skull, and I don't belong to anyone." Marik wasn't used to being played. He crushed boys like Ryou, usually after sleeping with them.

"Look I need to go if I'm gonna catch him before he gets to work. I'll see you later?" Ryou asked wrapping a scarf that matched his bag around his neck.

"Well unless your brother kicks me out, I'll still be living here."

"Goodbye, see you then."

"Yeah bye," Marik grumbled closing the front door. "Nice getting to know ya."

Ryou found James in their usual coffee shop. "Hey there babe, how are you- did I do that?"

"Yeah, it's not too bad, I'm fine."

"Look we need to talk. Why don't you find a table, I'll get us some drinks and we can sort this out okay." He gave Ryou one of those deep yet public appropriate kisses.

"Oh okay."

"Well hurry, this place fills up fast."

Ryou choose a small booth crammed in the back corner, the only open place available for two people.

"Here you go, non-fat, extra sweet caramel macchiato, and because I love you extra whipped cream." James dipped his finger into the whipped cream on his own drink and held it out to Ryou. He happily licked it off seeing as models don't really get to eat a lot of sweets.

"Ryou, babe, honey, sweetheart. Who the hell was the blonde?"

"My brother's boyfriend." Ryou said, keeping up with the façade.

"So he came over and pulled me off you why? Look Ryou darling it's been eight months we have to get serious sometime."

"James, you have to stop this. One time you're going to hit me a little too hard, and I could end up really hurt. I mean look what you've done to my head."

"Sleep with me and I'll stop."

'I'm not going to sleep with you just because you want a little sex slave, whose afraid of you." Ryou spat the comment before he even had time to swallow his mouthful of coffee. James was looking at him in shock and horror because his cream Armani suit was developing coffee coloured stains rapidly.

"Okay then, you know I think we've both had enough of this relationship. I'll see you around Ryou. I think you should leave now, while you don't have to be carried out on stretcher." Ryou was out of the shop like a shot. He went to the PYT's office (Pretty Young Things) where he worked as he got behind his desk and quickly started fixing things balancing the chequebook and putting in orders. He was got to the shoot a few minutes late and was shoved into hair and makeup.


End file.
